The Ugly Duckling Debutante (Renwick House Book 1) by Rachel Van Dyken

The Ugly Duckling Debutante (Renwick House Book 1) Reviews

• 
  Danielle The Book Huntress

  I wrote a review, but my mom borrowed my computer and closed the browser before I saved it. My fault for not saving it. I wasn't that happy with the review, so here's my second chance.
  
  I enjoyed this book a lot, and it almost got five stars, but things sort of fell apart around the climax. I don't like manufactured drama, and the blowup near the end felt like that to me. While I agree that keeping secrets from people and being dishonest is wrong, it was clear that the situation that makes Renwick blow up at Sara could have easily been resolved with a long discussion. That's why my rating went down to four stars.
  
  Otherwise, this is a feel good Regency romance that makes me remember how much I love reading historical romance. Renwick is actually a Rake hero that I felt sorry and sympathetic for. He actually did all the rakish things that hurt his reputation, and what he did was pretty bad. But he suffered for it, was repentant about it and turned over a new leaf. Laying eyes on Sara was testing his resolve in the worst way. Sara was raised to believe she was as ugly as sin, and when people said she wasn't normal, she winced. The truth was she was ridiculously gorgeous. That reminded me of Lord Dain from
  Lord of Scoundrels, who believes he's ugly, but is merely gorgeous in an unconventional way. Sara's lack of self esteem is understandable, but I like that she is feisty too. She doesn't let Renwick walk all over her, although she is definitely susceptible to his allure (and who could blame her?).
  
  I liked the humor a lot and the chemistry between Renwick and Sara is dazzling. They can't seem to keep their hands off each other. This is a fade to black kind of romance, and I did miss love scenes. I don't always have to have them, but in this case, the missing love scenes were a bit of a let down. I really rooted for their happy ending together, and that's part of why the Big Miss was so annoying to me. Fortunately, the story finds its feet and the ending is so lovely, with an awesome epilogue.
  
  I would recommend this series to Kindle/ebook readers looking for good romance that you might never find in the print section of your bookstore and library. Renwick is scrumptious and not to be missed by those readers who have a weakness for rakes of the reformed or soon-to-be-reformed variety. Sara is the kind of historical heroine you can't help but love.
• 
  Teresa

  I would most likely have loved this book, had I read it when I was in elementary school. The Ugly Duckling Debutante is super simple, in every way that it is possible to be so. The characters are not bright (in neither description or intellect)...they are not well developed or evolved. The plot has been done so much better so many times before. It's unclear, but I think that this book was attempting to be a religious romance, but the only indication of it was the lack of sex, the characters sometimes mentioning God's disapproval and the three times they read "the scriptures."
  
  I can't remember if I paid for this, if I did, I hope it wasn't more than .99 cents. Especially, since I wasn't forewarned that God was somehow involved.
• 
  Nicole Peterson

  Main Character Sara, has always been told by her demeaning parents and sisters that she is ugly. She has come to accept that she will be a spinster, who would marry her? Her parents have already made it well known of her worthlessness and haven't even settled a dowry on her.
  
  Then her sisters elope with twin brothers "of no means" to Gretna Greene. It is then left up to Sara to go to London for her first (and only) season and land a husband. She is the only hope for her lousy family. Her Aunt, Lady Fenton spirits her off to do "what she can" to get Sara married to a titled gentleman. Upon reaching London, she is to go to her first Ball. She runs into Nicholas Devons, a reformed former rake in a hallway, attempting to catch a respite from her first gala.
  
  Nicholas Devons, the retired rake. Yum. Has given up beautiful women and carnal (I love that word) pleasures. Carnal...Carnival...They can both be fun! Consequently, he becomes bored with life. He meets up with a good friend at the fete and ends up making a bet. That he will abstain from woman and rendezvous. In return for winning the bet he will win the coveted feather among the ton. After said bet he bumps into Sara, who he immediately is attracted to. They share a searing kiss and Sara appologizes for her uncomely behaviour and leaves the ball with her aunt. Leaving Devons still in lust.
  
  The next morning Sara is informed that Lady Fenton's cousin will be tutoring her in the ways of the ton.
  
  The next morning Nicholas regrets making a promise to his cousin to tutor a young lady for her first Season in London. He gets dressed and leaves for his appointment, hoping that at least it will prove to be amusing....
  
  I do adore my historical romances, after all, I like so many others, am in love with Mr Darcy. I thought this was a really good book.
  
• 
  Kristen

  I couldn't in good conscience give this more that 2 stars due to content. I wouldn't call it a clean book by any stretch of the imagination. But it wasn't a Harlequin either.
  
  Sara has been told her whole life she is ugly and strange. When in actuality she is beautiful. The whole book is Sara thinking she is ugly and "supposedly" this innocent girl, but turned into a bit of a skank to me.
  
  Nicholas is a reformed rake. And when I say rake he didn't care if they were married or not, he "bedded" them with no problem. Using the scriptures he has decided to never "be with a women" ever again.
  I thought it was a mockery to the scriptures to even have them in this book. The author could have used them if she didn't throw them out the window every time Sara and Nicholas got alone. One scene they are making out in the garden, she is straddling him and he is starting to get into the front of her low cut dress.
  
  I had to skip quite a few pages. Too much content for me to enjoy the story and I knew that though the writing was good and had potential I would never read it again.
  
  Moral Note: Not clean romance, lot of talk of desires and rakes. Children out of wedlock. I don't remember any language.
  
• 
  Kathy * Bookworm Nation

  Overall, I thought this was a fun regency story. I liked our main characters Sara and Nicholas. I was sucked in from the beginning and really felt bad for poor Sara and the horrible childhood she had to endure with her awful parents. I also respected our reformed rake Nicholas. I loved that he was regretful of his past and made a very conscience effort to live a better, more moral life. I thought Sara and Nicholas had good chemistry together and that together they could help heal each other’s past. So, a fun story about two people meeting, falling for each other, a few misunderstandings along the way and eventually a HEA (not really a spoiler, since this type story almost always ends up with a HEA).
  
  There were just a couple things that really kept me from loving the story. The story switches points of view between the two. It felt like half of Nicholas’s time was spent desiring Sara, and the other half not thinking he is worthy enough for her (okay, maybe more like 90% was spent desiring her and 10% doubting himself). Sara wasn’t quite as bad, but still suffered from desiring Nicholas a lot as well. I guess it felt a little over the top, and more lust at times than actual love. After awhile it seemed a little repeditive.
  
  The other minor complaint I had, was that I felt a little disappointed in not seeing Sara’s transformation. The beginning she is the quiet ugly duckling and then almost overnight she is this confident lady who makes men grovel at her feet. Where did she get all this confidence? And wouldn't she be more shy around guys? It's not like Nicholas made an effort to compliment her, in fact he tried not to. I wanted to experience more of her London season. I guess just being away from her awful family was enough to unleash her true personality?
  
  Content: Clean. They do marry and consummate things but nothing too detailed.
  
  
• 
  Rachel-RN

  This looked interesting. Then I started to read and I just kept getting pissed off.
  The double standard is alive and well in this book.
  "It was why he never talked to women; naturally, they never really had anything intelligent to say."
  "If he ever did marry, he would want her to be innocent enough not to push him past his physical limitations, and sweet enough to be a good mother." WTF?
  I didn't make it very far, but this seemed to be more of a preachy Christian romance.
  "Most of the ton looked at Christianity as a cult, not realizing it was the one true way to Salvation."
  Of note:
  5 users shelved this as erotica. Granted, I didn't make it very far, but based on the above quotes, I really would like to know what their definition of "erotica" is.
  3 as clean romance.
  2 as Christian.
• 
  Bowags12

  I read this, paperback, (I know!!!)and bought it online.
  This is one of my very favorite regent books, maybe because he is the regent equivalent of my bad boys I love in leather and seal gear!
  This is a must read, you will forget the time and crave the story, sexy funny and I did cry. The best.
  There are spin offs
• 
  Steamywindows♥♫

  A rake reformed by finding god and a beautiful debutant who has been raised to think she's ugly but doesn't have any complexes. I don't think a longer book who have saved this. I found myself going WHAT?? And then WTF?
• 
  Kim

  With Christmas readily approaching, we now turn to the fun (or not so fun) task of having to be around family for the holidays. While some of us love our families, some are less than thrilled at this prospect, hoping to be able to glide through without a snide remark uttered or awkward silence encountered. It is with this spirit that we turn to The Ugly Duckling Debutante, by Rachel Van Dyken. Sara, our heroine, has one of the latter previously mentioned families. To say that her sisters demean her is an understatement. So, with parallels to Cinderella already forming in my head after reading the plot points on the back cover, I dove into this book unsure of how Van Dyken played with the famous “Cinderella Story” theme. Let’s find out!
  
  Sara hasn’t had the easiest of childhoods. Constantly berated by her parents and older sisters, she grows up accustomed to being called ugly. On the contrary, however, as she transitions into adulthood she becomes more and more beautiful. Despite this, her view of herself is as dour as she has been lead to believe, and to add to this the fact that she is forced to take the place of her sisters for a season (the social events and important endeavors of the time that were placed upon women so that they could become eligible for dating) after they run away and elope. As the family’s only other child, Sara finds that she must marry for wealth in order to save her family from financial ruin. At the same time, Nicholas Devons, Earl of Renwick, is growing tired of his life of debauchery and fornication. He decides to eschew all these pleasures and lead a simple life, marrying the first country girl that he comes into contact with. Before he is able to travel to the country to find a willing woman, he must first help his cousin and teach the ways of the Ton to Sara. When the two meet, sparks ignite. Sara finds Renwick devilishly handsome, but thinks that his attention to her is due to her ugliness. Renwick cannot believe how stunningly beautiful that Sara is, but is convinced that she is just like the rest of the women he knows, manipulative and fake. Will Sara and Renwick ever look past their preconceived notions of each other and find common ground? Will Sara ever begin to gain any self-confidence back from her life of being called ugly? Will Renwick be able to put the deeds of his past behind him?
  
  Van Dyken included lots of little twists in this story that I didn’t see coming. When you first find out more about Sara’s background, as well as Renwick’s motivations for casting off his rock star lifestyle, you wonder how these two seemingly different worlds will intersect. Van Dyken is able to achieve this is an incredibly clever way that I thought added a lot to the novel. Additionally, I really enjoyed Renwick’s character, as you get to see him undergo a complete transformation throughout the novel. It is these types of character developments that I enjoy most, as you get to see someone go from being completely stubborn and set in their ways to a character full of optimism and humility that was not present at all previously.
  
  However, not all is good with this work. Part of me kept wondering how Sara kept believing herself to be ugly. Yes, we’re always reminded that she was constantly told that she is ugly, but I don’t understand that at her age she would continue to believe it, especially with the attention Renwick was giving her as well as the marked attentions of other members of the Ton and her maid. Renwick was obviously attracted to her, as evidenced by his actions.
  
  Despite these few negatives, I definitely found Van Dyken’s The Ugly Duckling Debutante to be exciting and extremely entertaining. If you’re looking for a fun story that pulls you in with a bunch of well placed plot turns, look no further than this book. After reading it you’ll believe that everyone has it in them to change and be a better person!
  
  Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
  
  http://wp.me/p18lIL-I3
• 
  Romancing the Book

  Reviewed by Marissa
  Book provided by the author for review
  Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
  
  I love stories about the odd one out and Sara fits the bill perfectly. She’s intelligent and witty and she prefers country life to dresses and balls. Thanks to her parents, she believes she is the ugliest girl that ever existed yet she is resigned to the fact that she will likely never marry and doesn’t seem disappointed by it, much preferring to read about love and romance (and loving families) in books. I love the way Sara parlays with Nicholas, teasing him and offering the witty comeback.
  
  Nicholas doesn’t quite know how to deal with Sara. He’s given up being a rake and in order to win a bet he must get through one season without succumbing to a woman or being centered in a scandal. He tries to protect her from other rakes and less than worthy suitors but he fails miserably.
  
  While Nicholas is supposed to be Sara’s tutor in the ways of the ton, other than a dance lesson he appears to be more of an escort. This becomes amusing as he struggles to acknowledge his feelings towards her and yet deny them to everyone else.
  
  Since reading my first Rachel Van Dyken book I’ve become a fan. The writing is clear and does not get too muddled up in details I don’t need, yet she has a way of describing just enough of the past to keep me interested. I do wish the language evoked more of the historical time and I question the use of a couple of seemingly modern phrases, but as nothing was outrageous I can forgive and enjoy. For a simple, enjoyable historical romance, you can’t go wrong with The Ugly Ducking Debutante.
  
• 
  Shadow

  This book was beyond amazing! I laughed, cried and even yelled; and when i wasn’t doing any of these, I had a smile on my face. The characters and the story flowed and kept me hooked. (Ok, more than hooked. Ive already bugged Ms. Rachel for part two. I feel like an addict who needs more. lol) Once I started reading this, I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up all night just to finish it. lol This book is one of those perfect ones that make you feel every emotion. By far, one of my favorites this year!
  Sara, belittled by her family on how ugly she is, is thrust into the ton for her first season to make a match with a rich man in order to support her family. Her aunt decides to sponsor her and have her distant cousin Nicholas help get Sara ready for the season. Sara, not quite the ugly duckling she believes she is, catches the eye of Nicholas. They instantly feel an attraction to one another that's hard for them to deny; it later gets them into trouble and married. Both characters are dealing with emotional scarring and scandals that happened in the past. In this book, the characters were always pushed to see how much they could handle. These characters not only handled the obstacles thrown in there way, they triumphed! There is so much that goes on and i don’t want to tell anymore because i don’t want to ruin the story. All i can say, buy the book and try it. You'll love it! :)
• 
  amanda s.

  3.5 stars, amazing historical romance from a contemporary romance author.
  
  Reading this book is like reading historical romance from Julia London but with simple language and less confusing plot. I think that's why I quite enjoyed it better. Though again, as much as I liked it, I don't really feel the classic or the sense of historical in this book. I don't even know what era or what year the event's happening. So yeah.
  
  Nicholas Renwick's fall head over heels with Sara--or Sai Ames, a maiden who has been raised to feel ugly and unwanted. Their journey's not as smooth as they wanted to be even though they both love each other, because of the secrets that looming over. Will they battled them all and achieve the victory?
  
  Again, I actually enjoyed this book and I adore the simple twist of drama. Though the only thing that keeps bothering me up until the end remain unsolved; like the deal with Sara's parents and sisters, I don't see a proper closure between them. Even Duncan, there's no more scene with Duncan, even at the epilogue. It's almost seemed like RVD's eager to finish the story that's why those little details are left behind.
  
  But overall, I liked it. And I hope there's a sequel!
• 
  T.

  I've been reading period romances for 27 years, some great and some atrocious. I read all the reviews here before I began reading the book (just in case). This book was OK, not terrible but also not terrific. I did, however, like certain aspects of the story. The things I didn't like about the story were several and it is up to you whether you feel this is something you don't or do want to read.
  
  One of the issues I had with the book is that I was unclear what period it was supposed to be in, they powdered their hair but one of the dresses described sounded like it was from a later, non powdered hair period.
  
  Also both the hero Nicholas and the heroine Sara have found God. While I don't think this is a bad thing, I just get annoyed reading this in a romance novel, if I wanted to read it I would only read the Inspirational genre. I WILL be looking for the next Rachel Van Dyken period romance, but I am on the fence as to whether to purchase it.
• 
  Bowags12

  As always such a great read.....I really enjoy the story, and series. It's a must read
• 
  Giulia

  Originally reviewed at
  www.devastatingreads.blogspot.com
  I wasn't able to resist the premise of this book. It sounded too sweet, and sexy. An ugly duckling heroine? A reformed rake? These are characters I can never resist. I'm such a sucker for outrageous premises. Anyway, I just had to read this book. It was a quick read, I found, light and easy to read and less than 300 pages long.
  
  I think I'll begin with the writing style...it got on my nerves. Van Dyken's writing varied from polished and clean Victorian styled language to modern and badly edited. So I totally blame her editors. I really really do; I mean, I caught missing periods and improper use of capitals everywhere. Usually where the writing started to sound too contemporary, filled with expressions like "sure" and "he mentally yelled at himself" both of which didn't flow with the rest of the text and style. So I think her editors just totally missed entire sections that needed a bit of polish. It made me groan with vexation because it distracted me from the story. But, that aside, I did enjoy the novel.
  
  I really liked Sara's character. She was quick witted and smart, and reminded me a little of Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. I liked the way she was able to turn a phrase to say a lot while saying very little. I also liked that despite the fact that she'd been told she was ugly and worthless all her life, that she had enough spirit to speak out with that quick wit. I think I'd be too afraid if I was Sara, to speak my mind that way. And especially to someone as worldly and handsome as Renwick.
  
  Poor Renwick! The reformed rake is a stereotypical character, one I love to read about because who doesn't want a bad boy player turned into a loyal, sweet lover all because of the love of one good woman? Who I ask you? Who? And Renwick is not only the besotted lover of Sara, but a man who is so vulnerable he's turned away from even the possibility of loving anyone ever again. He loves Sara very much, but he's so afraid of letting anyone in that he refuses to acknowledge it to anyone, even himself. I was actually very touched when he finally felt himself loved enough to begin to feel that he was healing, all because of Sara's love.
  
  I thought the characters were lovely, but they did lack something in the way depth. I think I wanted to see more emotion from them, instead of being told about it. But the story was sweet, and I was glad that they were able to overcome all the scandals and misunderstandings and simply love one another. Overall, a good read and a promising series.
  
  
  3 glittering stars
  
• 
  Chumchum_88

  This is my first book by this author, to tell the truth it was god but not that great.
  
  In here I liked the Heroine more than the Hero, she was like a solid pillar that can't be tipple, she might get bruised and scratch but she will never fall or crumble. But the Hero was a different matter, throughout the book he sounded like a hypocrite: he wants he, but says he doesn't. He demands her trust, but doesn't give his. He was so afraid of pain, rejection and humiliation, and never gave a second thought about how she felt or what she wanted.
  
  Honestly, I think the Hero was given a huge slack at the end, he deserved a bit more for what he did to her, but what did he get .. nothing. The Heroine was a paragon of forgiveness, he killed a man and she stuck with him, she discovered the dead man was her real father, and still she stayed with him. And HIM!! he discovered she was a bastard and poof he's gone like he was the victim and it was there second day as a married couple. I really hated him at that part cause he ruined the whole thing, when they finally became happy together.
  
  The second best thing in this book, after the heroine, was that it was quick. The chapters were quick and short, no over embellishing the details and such matters, it was a good balance.
  
  Overall, *thumbs 3/4 up*
  
• 
  CassandraG

  The Ugly duckling by Rachel van Dyken
  
  Highly enjoyable and entertaining. A very fast read and lots of twists and suspicions.
  
  Sara Ames born under unusual circumstances and given away at birth was constantly told by her family that she was ugly and unwanted by anyone.
  
  Nicholas Devons, Earl of Renwick, man of means and wealth, looks and a few secrets he hoped stayed hidden. She has secrets to that she only just found out that she wished would stay hidden, if only for a little while longer.
  
  They get married have their ups and downs, but in the end true love prevails
  
• 
  Samantha

  I really enjoyed this book, it was a good twist on an original story, I found I loved both of the main characters and I wanted them to get their happily ever after. The final parts of the book feel slightly rushed but I am also glad the author did not keep us in suspence or expectation of the finalie. I am looking forward to reading the next one in this series.
• 
  Christine

  I enjoyed Sara and Nicholas, good couple. Liked the ups and downs and how they played out. I think this story needed a little more details in the sex area, could have added more depth to the story and characters. Sad that Sara was treated they way she was but luckily she became a beautiful, caring woman.
• 
  Ruth Hartman

  Sara has been told all her life she's ugly. She doesn't realize until she's grown and away from her family that they'd branded her with that term because of jealousy.
  
  I loved the interaction between the hero and heroine. Their conversations sound real, and human. Something I could definitely identify with.
  
  We should all be so lucky to be ugly ducklings turned into beautiful swans!
• 
  Danise

  I liked the premise of the book and most of the story, but by the end I was sick of hearing again and again how unworthy Nicholas was, how ugly Sara thought she was, and how many times/ways Nicholas could be misunderstood as saying Sara was ugly when he really meant she was beautiful. WE GOT IT, you don't need to beat it into us.
• 
  Mana Drake

  I loved this refreshing take on the Ugly Duckling story. The characters were compelling and I wanted to learn more.
• 
  Jennifer (random jendsmit)

  This was ok... not my preferred genre but it was ok. Not bad just not my thing
• 
  Tricia

  Almost impossible to find writing worse than E.L. James, but here you go.
• 
  Darbella

  2.5 stars. Started out really liking it, but by the end was meh. This book has a some people thinking or saying scriptures from the bible. Some of those work and some sound like the arthur is throwing it in there to "save" one souls. Some other things ended up weirding me out. For example, she was always told that she was ugly even by her aunt (mom) at the beginning of the story who tells her later she did not know how bad her adopted family was treating her and that she was beautiful. (Whoa! Did I such not read in the first chapter that same person saying not so nice things about the heroine even in front of the hero)? Back to her looks, she was supposed to be so different from anyone in the "ton". She has black hair, small dainty body, darker complexion, and emerald eyes. Well, then imagine my surprise that the hero fell in love with and had an affair with the her step mom (who she never met) and killed her dad in a duel over the step mom that looked a lot like the heroine. So if a duke had married someone who looked like her why was her looks such a problem? Weird huh?
  Turns out the turned newly christian duke has a son from the step mom who since has passed away. For 2 years has turned to religion to help him with his demons of killing a man and having a son with a married woman) The hero feels that he can never love again, but trying to get the heroine to have sex with him in their new marriage is ok except for the inner diaglue each have about the annulment he wants after the gossip dies down. UGGGG. So after she has accepted him in marriage, willing accepts his son, does not care about the gossip about him, the Hero gets mad when he finds out who her real mom and dad are and goes running off to Scotland without his son for weeks. Which of course gives her time to figure out she is going to have his baby. She, of course, gets sick with a fever, he professes his love, and just like that they are hea. The bright part of the story for me was the epilogue. Loved the epilogue.
• 
  dreamerinexile

  Duckling be mine 4.5 stars
  
  Sara grew up being told she was ugly and so she believed it and deep down craved to be loved for who she was and not what the world saw. After her sisters run away to marry twin brothers, her parents see the opportunity to marry her off to one of the eligible ton men. Her aunt swoops in to help her find the catch.
  
  Enter Nicholas, her aunt's cousin and the man to show her off to the tons. Little does her aunt know that Nick is fighting a fierce inner battle to not ruin Sara for the gents. Nick's struggle is hard, he wants her but he knows he doesn't deserve her. He tries doubly hard to let her go. As Nick tries to show her the ropes, the attraction grows and their doubts and insecurities surface.
  
  Will the duckling shed her ugly feathers and transform into the swan that everyone sees? Will Nick's fast as a rouge creep in to ruin the best thing that has happened to him in forever? To know more, 1-click this beauty about love, sacrifices and acceptance!
• 
  Wendy Tavenner

  I have read the series several times over the years but it is so good had to read again. Love the author and her characters. Sara has been told her whole life that she is ugly and she believes it. When her Aunt takes her to London for a season she is not sure even her aunt tells her she’s not a beauty. Then why would anyone want her. Nicholas the Earl of Renwick is a distant relation to Sara’s aunt. When she asks for him to escort Sara around he gives in. Wh3n he looks at Sara he thinks she is conceded because she is Stun-ally beautiful. He was hurt before by a beautiful woman and he thinks Sara’s like her. A beautiful story with a great ending.
• 
  SynergyQuest

  Enjoyable
  
  This is an enjoyable, clean (no sex scenes) read. My only rub is that the heroine is far too forgiving for my tastes.
  
  ***SPOILER ALERT BEGINS***
  
  She's far too forgiving of her family and barely blinked at her birth mother who was deplorable to continue the lies about her appearance.
  
  ***SPOILER ALERT ENDS***
  
  If you can stomach knowing the vile people prosper without penitence, then you can enjoy this read. I'm apparently not Christian enough not to want to see them get their comeuppance.